787 Dreamliner lands for first time (photos)

It wouldn't be a successful first flight without a smooth landing, and that's just what Boeing's 787 Dreamliner did Tuesday.<br>

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Coming in to land

Boeing's first 787 Dreamliner on final approach for its inaugural landing, at Boeing Field, in Seattle. The plane had lifted off for its first-ever flight hours earlier from Paine Field in Everett, Wash.

The successful first flight was a milestone for Boeing, as the 787 is about two years behind schedule, delayed by a wide range of problems and issues and cost overruns.

Now, the $10 billion plane--of which there are currently six--must go through about nine months of further tests before the first plane can be delivered to a customer.

All told, 55 airline customers have pre-ordered 840 787s. That number has gone up since the roll-out of the plane two years ago, and that may be mainly because it is made from composite materials, a factor that is supposed to make the plane 20 percent more efficient than other planes of its size.

Touchdown

At 1:33 p.m. on December 15, 2009, the 787 Dreamliner touched down at Seattle's Boeing Field. The first flight lasted three hours and five minutes, and was shortened due to bad weather in the Pacific Northwest.

Landing with IMAX helicopter

The 787, just seconds after landing, speeds down the Boeing Field runway with a helicopter shadowing it on the east side. The helicopter was carrying a camera being used to make an IMAX film about the development of the 787 Dreamliner program.